Mommy's Briefcase

Taking a leaf from the The Jolly Postman, Low and Aliki follow a working mother through her day, interspersing six briefcase-like pockets among their book's cheery, detail-packed pages. Rhyming couplets recount Mommy's routine at the Stuft Bear Co.: ``My secretary types a letter. `What's the address, please?'/ I find it in my address book. It's listed with the B's.'' Meanwhile, kids can remove related paraphernalia from Mommy's briefcase-in this case, glasses and address book. A cardboard sandwich and apple serve as lunch on the run, while a change purse displays the coins used ``to buy a cold drink from the juice machine.'' Other items include the morning paper (the Newsy Times, with headlines and pictures but no copy) a desktop picture of Mommy's offspring, etc. Aliki's animal cast is perky and personable, though she leans heavily on puns in background art: the Times includes a Meaosic section and Meous and Views column, while one of the company's models is pictured as a Cossack, or ``Rushin' Bear.'' Still, many amusing touches make this book a candidate for repeated readings and a playful introduction to the working world. Ages 3-5. (Sept.)